# Can you use reg. vit. c to put on face?



## charish (Jan 12, 2007)

i was just wondering if you could crush up vitamin c and mix it with some water to put on your face. if it would do the same thing. (for sun damage)like 500 mg. or so. i heard this from someone , but for freckles, but what do you guys think. i don't need it for freckles though.


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## sheil2009 (Jan 12, 2007)

ummm no, it would not have any effect because the molecules are not small enough to pass through the skin barrier. Oral vitamins will only work when ingested because the intestine can absorb the bigger molecules. And the asparin mask works because asprin is a weak form of salacylic acid


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## Dragonfly (Jan 12, 2007)

Be careful with purchasing oitments containing vitamin c. As soon as you open a tube, the vitamin c starts to oxidize, rendering the product pretty much useless.

If you choose to buy it anyways, make sure the tube is dark (so it is not exposed to sunlight) and the cream comes out of a tube, and not a jar.

These features may help the life of the vit c last longer.


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## charish (Jan 12, 2007)

ok, thanks for info.


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## summerxdreams (Jan 12, 2007)

thanks for the tips, i didn't know that.


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## FeverDream (Jan 12, 2007)

From the Perricone Prescription:

"One bright, sunny August morning, I had taken a particularly long run. By late afternoon, my face had turned bright red from painful sunburn. It occurred to me that since vitamin C was a powerful antioxidant, perhaps it would also act as an anti-inflammatory to help resolve the burn more rapidly. That night, I made a vitamin C solution by mixing crushed vitamin C tablets in water and patted it on my face. At first it stung, but the discomfort soon subsided and I was able to sleep. In the morning, the burn was definately better. The swelling and redness had greatly diminished, although they had not disappeared entirely. Yet my shoulders, on which I hadn't applied the vitamin C, were still quite red and tender. My vitamin C solution showed potential, but there was still work to be done.

Several years later, I returned to the use of vitamin C with a new approach. I reasoned that the solubility of the vitamin C molecule (L-ascorbic acid) interfered with its anti-inflammatory effects. Ascorbic acid, the natural form of vitamin C, is water soluble. Ascorbic acid cannot penetrate the surface of the skin, which repels water-soluble substances. The acidity of the vitamin C also diminished the anti-inflammatory effects. Ascorbic acid lives up to its name. It is very acidic, which can be irritating to the skin. Then there is the problem of potency. Ascorbic acid is fragile and unstable, and it breaks down rapidly. When formulated into a solution, ascorbic acid loses its strength within twenty-four hours. I set out to find a form of vitamin C that would be nonirritating, fat soluble, and retain its strength in skin care preparations.

My search led me to a compound known as vitamin C ester. It is composed of the basic vitamin C molecule (L-ascorbic acid) joined with palmitic acid, a fatty acid derived from palm oil. Vitamin C ester is completely nonirritating and can even be used on an open cut without stinging. This in itself was a leap from the burning and irritation caused by topical ascorbic acid. More important, vitamin C ester is fat soluble, easing its absorption by the skin and the cell plasma membrane."

Hope that helped!


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## charish (Jan 12, 2007)

thanks, i've heard of that. can you just get it at a store.


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## Dragonfly (Jan 12, 2007)

Creams and lotions containing vit c can be found at drugstores, Sally's and stores like Walgreens, Walmart.

It is an over the counter product so no prescription is required.

In Canada, creams with vit c are quite expensive - $50 a tube at least.

And it is highly questionable that this product works as there have been no independent trials that prove it is effective in repairing the skin.


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## charish (Jan 12, 2007)

oh ok, i thought that too. thanks.


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